Daniels Name Meaning & Interesting Facts

Daniel’s Name Meaning, History, & Pronunciation

Daniel Personal Name

What’s Daniel’s name meaning?

This baby boy name has a profound meaning: “God is my judge,” which translates to “God is my leader.”

It’s a biblical boy name and a favorite character in many storybooks for babies. So, it’s not really surprising that many parents pick this name for their little boy.

Origin: Where Does The Name Daniels Come From?

The Daniel name meaning (God is my judge) is of Hebrew origin. It comes from “din” (judge) and “el” (God).

Some people might think that the “judge” in the name (as in Daniel being judged by God) has a negative connotation. In reality, this actually means that God is leading him.

In biblical times, the Israelites were led by judges and prophets before they had kings.

Is Daniels An Irish Name?

No. Daniel is a name of Hebrew origin.

Pronunciation

“DAN-yul” or “DAN-yull”

Daniels Last Name

Daniels is a patronymic surname (last name that comes from the given name of the father or a patrilineal ancestor) that means “son of Daniel.”

US Stats: Is The Name Daniel Popular?

Daniel is among the most popular names in the US, ranking within the top 50 since the 1900s, according to the SSA (Social Security Administration). (1)

The name rose in popularity, reaching the top 20s beginning in the 1950s. (1)

By the 1980s, it was already in the top 10. (1)

Although “Daniel” was pushed back to #16 in 2021, that’s still high up on the list among the thousands, possibly even millions, of baby names. (1)

Daniel’s Biblical Story

Daniel was among the Israelite captives taken to Babylon when Jerusalem was destroyed in 607 BC.

According to the Bible’s Book of Daniel, he was a visionary and a wise man. This gained him favor with King Darius, who became his friend.

The king’s other advisors were jealous of Daniel.

They tricked the king into prohibiting anyone from praying to any other god except him (the king). Anyone who disobeys will be thrown into the lions’ den.

The king happily signed the law without realizing it was meant to trap Daniel.

Despite hearing about the new law, Daniel continued his routine and prayed to God from his open window.

The evil advisors’ plan worked. Daniel was thrown into the lions’ den. However, God sent an angel to shut the lions’ mouths, and he survived.

What’s The Gender Of Daniel?

Daniel is primarily used as a baby boy name. However, the name comes in different spellings and variations, including options for girls.

FAQs About Daniel’s Name Meaning

What Was Daniel’s Name In The Bible?

The spelling of Daniel in the English Bible is still “D-A-N-I-E-L,” but this can vary depending on its local equivalent in other Bible translations.

Also, Daniel and his friends received new names when they were held captive in Babylon. He became Belteshazzar.

How Many Daniels Are In The Bible?

There are two Daniels in the Bible, both mentioned in the Old Testament:

The prayerful man who was thrown into the lions’ den in Babylon
King David’s third son

What Is Daniel’s Name In Hebrew?

Daniel is “Daniyyel” in Hebrew.

What’s The Personality Of A Daniel?

Thanks to the bible stories, Daniels are perceived to be brave, wise, prayerful, and reliable.

Name Variations & Similar Names For Daniel

Boy Name Variations

Abidan (Hebrew)
Daan (Dutch)
Daeniao (Thai)
Danail (Bulgarian)
Dancho (Bulgarian)
Dančo (Macedonian)
Daniil or Даниил (Russian)
Danijel (Serbian and Croatian)
Danilo (Brazilian, Hispanic, Portuguese, Slovene, Serbian, Ukrainian, and Italian)
Daniyyel (Hebrew)
Dan-jaan (Hebrew)
Danko (Croatian)
Dănuṭ (Romanian)
Danyal (Turkish)
Deiniol (Welsh)
Dónall (Irish)
Taaniel (Estonian)
Tanel (Estonian)
Taneli (Finnish)
Taniel (Armenian)
Tatu (Finnish)

Girl Name Variations

Dani (Spanish)
Daniela (Hebrew)
Daniele (French and Lithuanian)
Daniella (Italian)
Danielle (English and Hebrew)
Danitza (Hebrew)
Danuta (Polish)
Dany (American and Old English)
Dinah (Hebrew)

Unisex Name Variations

Dana (Czech and Polish)
Danel (Basque)
Danijel (Slovene and Croatian)
Danni (Danish)
Danyel (Hebrew)

Common Pet Names Or Nicknames

Dan
Dani
Danny
Dee
DeeDee
Elle
Neal

Famous Daniels & Other Name Variations

Several international and American actors are named Daniel or its other variants.

Famous People & Characters Who Are Named Daniel

Daniel Baldwin
Daniel Bernoulli
Daniel Boone
Daniel Brühl
Daniel Craig
Daniel Dae Kim
Daniel Day-Lewis
Daniel Defoe
Daniel Deronda (fictional)
Daniel Ellsberg
Daniel Inouye
Daniel LaRusso (fictional)
Daniel Radcliffe
Daniel Stern
Daniel Tiger (fictional)
Daniel Tosh
Daniel von Bargen
Daniel Webber

Famous People & Characters Who Are Named Danny

Danny DeVito
Danny Elfman
Danny Glover
Danny Kaye
Danny O’Reilly
Danny Phantom
Danny Tanne
Danny Zuko

Famous People & Characters Who Are Named Dan

Dan Aykroyd
Dan Brown
Dan Castellanata
Dan Conner
Dan DeCarlo
Dan Gurney
Dan Levy
Dan Marino
Dan Rather
Dan Savage

Famous People & Characters Who Are Named Danielle

Danielle Campbell
Danielle Rose Russell
Danielle Staub
Danielle Steele

Names You Can Pair With Daniels

Middle Name Ideas For Daniel

Alexander
Benjamin
Blake
Ethan
Franklin
Graham
Jackson
James
Joseph
Lee
Madon
Oliver
Ray
Scotland
Shay
Stern

Similar Or Matching Names

Ariel
Ezekiel
Gabriel
Michael
Michele
Rachel
Raphael
Reuel
Samuel

Biblical Boy Names

Aaron
Abraham
Elijah
Ezra
James
Job
Jonathan
Joseph
Joshua
Noah

Possible Sibling Or Twin Names (For Boys & Girls)

Andrew
Anne
Arthur
Caleb
Daisy
Deborah
Delia
Delilah
Dirk
Dove
Elizabeth
Isaac
James
Joshua
Judith
Micah
Naomi
Peter
Rebecca
Sarah
Veronica
Violet
Walter

Other Boy Name Ideas That Start With D

Darren
David
Dennis
Dexter
Diego
Douglas

Baby Names

Daniel’s Name Meaning & Interesting Facts